7 weeks chicks, are they ready to go out to the coop?

[fishwithaface]

So i've been reading reading and reading, and trying to figure out if it is time for my flock to move out of the garage and into their home. But kinda am cautious cause this still new, very new to me
My plan and ideas:
1. I was going to move them out to the coop, and install some christmas rope lights around the ceiling for light. because I was told they will need to stay in the coop only for a few weeks.

Q: how long will they need to be in the coop, before i can introduce them to their run? And when they are able to go into the run, can i take down the lights in the coop?

2: I was going to close of the nesting area.

3: Q. Do these tempertures look alright to move them outside? The day time temps do tend to vary, and run little hotter during the days which is good, but the night time temps are pretty accurate

Mon

77°
58°
Tue

81°
58°
Wed

81°
55°
Thu

77°
50°
Fri

68°
47°
Sat

74°
50°
Sun

82°
55°
Mon

87°
59°

​

Any advice would be appreciated, please. I wanna make sure I do this right.

 

[in2camo]

Put 'em outside already...7 weeks is plenty old enough for run and coop alike. Maybe the coop for a day or so, just so they know where home is. Then to the run they go. Make sure they're protected from predators, but they'll be fine. Those temps are fine.

 

[Dreysander]

They will feather out with colder temps too if they are not fully feathered by now. We just put ours out and they range in age from 10ish weeks to 4 weeks. The 4 week olds may be a bit small but they cuddle up close to the bigger chickens and their feathers are coming in really quickly now.

 

[kyexotics]

In those temps, as soon as they don't need to be under a light, they go outside!

 

[newmarch2014]

Oh yeah in those temps they are fine to go out. I do 2 days closed up in the coop for them to pick a sleeping spot and get in the hang of where it all is then open it up to the run. I have solar lights that I just trade out in the coop for a bit of light for them to see the food and water by (as well as leaving their window open during the day). By the way a closed up coop in those temps may get hot, make sure it is well ventilated.

 

[WVduckchick]

I just moved my 6-week olds out to a bigger coop/run over the weekend. From 3 to 6 weeks, they were in one of those small store-bought pre-fab coop/runs on my porch. Sunday night I locked them in, they were fine. Monday night, they went into the coop at dark, but I didn't lock them in, but I'm sure they stayed in. Last evening, I dozed off in my chair just as the sun was going down. Went outside just after dark and they were sitting in a corner of the run. Why didn't they go into the coop? I have a low-watt heat light in the coop for now, I wanted them to get comfortable with their new home first. When should I take it out? I think temps are fine, low temps above 50F.

 

[LI chickie]

I just moved my girls out last night. I had been putting them in the coop during the day and bringing them in at night. Saturday night got cold 45 so I did have the light on for them. Last night I decided to leave them in the coop. They were huddled together but felt warm. It's not supposed to drop below 50 all week so I'm leaving them out.

 

[newmarch2014]

I just moved my 6-week olds out to a bigger coop/run over the weekend. From 3 to 6 weeks, they were in one of those small store-bought pre-fab coop/runs on my porch. Sunday night I locked them in, they were fine. Monday night, they went into the coop at dark, but I didn't lock them in, but I'm sure they stayed in. Last evening, I dozed off in my chair just as the sun was going down. Went outside just after dark and they were sitting in a corner of the run. Why didn't they go into the coop? I have a low-watt heat light in the coop for now, I wanted them to get comfortable with their new home first. When should I take it out? I think temps are fine, low temps above 50F.

My older hens are great at going to roost at dark usually but every once in awhile they just decide not to go in, sometimes it is because the coop is too dark (the window is closed too much to allow the porch light to shine in) so they try to roost on the edge of the compost bin instead. Sometimes it may be because something at the door made them nervous (head hen in the way for the lower ranks for instance) Or it may be for some coops that the ammonia smell is too strong (not here since I use a poop board and pdz that I clean every 2 days or more.) During the summer I leave mine out if it is hot since my run is very predator proof and I have dogs for predator deterent.

 

[WVduckchick]

My older hens are great at going to roost at dark usually but every once in awhile they just decide not to go in, sometimes it is because the coop is too dark (the window is closed too much to allow the porch light to shine in) so they try to roost on the edge of the compost bin instead. Sometimes it may be because something at the door made them nervous (head hen in the way for the lower ranks for instance) Or it may be for some coops that the ammonia smell is too strong (not here since I use a poop board and pdz that I clean every 2 days or more.) During the summer I leave mine out if it is hot since my run is very predator proof and I have dogs for predator deterent.

Good thoughts. Thanks. I also got some pdz and sprinkled on their floor, I haven't been able to confirm its effectiveness yet, but I'm assuming you like it?? I have a roost pole, but no poop board yet. I was keeping the roost low, until they felt comfortable, but maybe that's just stupid of me. How high should it be? I think my coop is only about 3' high inside. When I get the pole set where I want to keep it, I'll add the poop board. They haven't even climbed on it yet, and its only a few inches off the floor. I guess I should have said... at this point, I only have 2 6-week golden comet girls, and a 6-week turkey that I hatched. Not sure if the turkey is male or female yet, but the 3 get along great. Also have 10 lavender orpington chicks inside in the brooder, only a week old.

 

[newmarch2014]

I use the pellet type pdz about an inch thick on the poop board, it helps to keep the smell down drastically. During our cold winter I use the deep layer method under on the floor of the coop under the poop board so I rake the pdz covered poo into a bed of straw and keep that turned and mixed up all winter adding a fresh layer of straw occasionally. The poo decomposes and gives a couple degrees of heat to the coop and a soft warm spot if it does get too cold for them to hunker down in if they choose. During the Summer I use sand in the bottom floor of the coop, I rake the poop board onto the floor each day (small coop takes about 20 seconds a day) then once a week I clean out anything that hasn't disintergrated from the coop floor with a rake and throw it in the compost bin. My coop has almost no smell....now my run, whole different story lol.